(Reserva de Paisajes Sonoros)

(Private version for media)

ESP – ENG

Triple album with handwritten booklet, free download from March 20.

«I spent several days riding without hearing anything but the birds and the wind«. This phrase was repeated again and again when travellers finished the route. It didn’t take me long to realise that Silence wasn’t just the absence of noise, but a value in itself. Something that deserved to be heard, protected, and shared.

At first, it all started out of curiosity. A small second-hand recorder and the idea of capturing sounds during my rides, as if taking photos – not framing with my eyes, but with my ears. Before long, I realised that this was much more than just an experiment.

The acoustic quality of this land and its true value as a natural resource revealed itself in each recording. A value that, although always present, we had barely learned to listen to. The idea that Montañas Vacías was not just a place for bikepacking, but a Sanctuary for natural sound, slowly took root until I understood that its protection had to become part of the philosophy of this project.

That was the first step on a journey that led me to discover the work of Quiet Parks International, and later, to Montañas Vacías being recognised as the first Quiet Trail in Europe (and first bikepacking route in the world). A process of learning and discovery, and many kilometres with the recorder always at hand to prove that, indeed, Silence is still possible here. A hidden treasure that, like any other heritage, needs to be protected.

A Soundscape Reserve

This project is born as a compilation of some of the most iconic soundscapes from the territory covered by Montañas Vacías. A new way to experience these roads: through their acoustic richness. It includes reissues of some of the recordings I’ve shared recently, as well as a large number of previously unreleased recordings.

It comes in a triple album format, available for download in MP3, and is accompanied by a beautiful 55-page booklet, handwritten, featuring descriptions of the tracks, illustrations, and photographs of the landscapes or key figures featured. Of course, all of this is available for free download, as always.

The Motivation Behind

In the whirlwind of urban life, turned away from nature, there are those who have never heard the song of a cuckoo, and children who have never felt, nor will ever feel, natural silence. This makes something like what you now hold in your hands more necessary than ever.

It is time to learn how to listen to what surrounds us. To know it is to care for it. To care for it is to value and protect it. Our soundscapes are Sanctuaries, never merchandise.

Just as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault exists, I intend to apply this concept to soundscapes here: To serve as a kind of repository, a Noah’s Ark of sounds, some in grave danger of disappearing, and others that have already lost their richness and acoustic purity forever, as we will later see (and hear).

In the first of these volumes, Landscapes, I gather some of the most representative and valuable acoustic environments of Montañas Vacías. In the second, Life, I showcase some of the region’s characteristic species—the key players in any traveler’s experience. And finally, in Traces, I reveal details, textures, and nuances that offer a deeper understanding of this land and our connection to it.

DOWNLOADS

Here you can download both the triple album and the booklet in Spanish and English, as well as listen to the albums online on YouTube or SoundCloud:

On the map

In this case, as you can see, this is not about a new bike route, as is usually the case, but rather a compilation of points that highlight some of the most acoustically valuable and, at the same time, most threatened environments in this area. However, I also wanted to make it possible to locate each soundscape on a map. In this way, everyone is free to draw their own routes to discover and experience these places.

How to Listen

Throughout the journey of these past years, both from my own experience and what I’ve learned from others, I have seen different uses for soundscape recordings like these. Here are a few of them:

• Conservation Manual. In a society that is losing its natural identity, opting for the conservation of our soundscapes should be a strategic decision for the future, positioning this territory as a benchmark in conservation on an international scale. It already is, but we still don’t know it.

• Travel Guide. A source of inspiration to go out there and experience these landscapes for yourself from a new perspective, whether or not through microphones. Stay tuned to montanasvacias.com for more information on this soon.

• These recordings can be an educational tool for children, helping them connect with nature, or for the elderly, offering moments of calm and evoking memories. In mindfulness practices, natural sounds can promote relaxation, meditation, and emotional well-being, creating spaces of peace and concentration.

I hope this acoustic journey encourages you to reflect on the true value of what’s right on our doorstep. If you come across or find other ways to use this kind of material, feel free to share your experience.

Thanks a lot for being part of this!!

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